Timi Abibu Lagunju
For about nine years after Timi Arohanran's death, nobody filled the vacant stool, because the kingmakers could not decide on whom to choose. The Town Council met at Pegba's house during this time. Pegba was a prince on the female line and as such had no right to ascend the throne but he was very influential. After nine years, he called the kingmakers together and asked them to decide on who was to succeed the throne. The kingmakers’ went to delibrate on the likely candidates. They all feared to make Abibu Lagunju (Sangolami) the Timi because he was known to be harsh and heady. They recalled his life story. He was a young boy during the Ibadan - Ilorin war. It was during the thick of this battle when hardly anyone could pass from one side to the other that Sangolami went to Ilorin. There he spent many years and came in contact with Islam. He took the new Islamic name Abibu, learnt the Koran from the, Koranic school and also learnt leather work. That was why the kingmakers were afraid to make him Timi. But Abibu Lagunju continued to worry Pegba for he thought the latter could influence the kingmakers. Pegba could not convince him by any explanation that he had no power at all over the decisions of the kingmakers, so he decidedto prove tohim by concrete: demonstration. Pegba invited him to come to his house at a time when the kingmakers would come in, and hid him in a place where he could overhear the .discussions of the kingmakers. Then Pegba sent to Ikolaba who promptly obeyed. Pegba asked Ikolaba whom they had decided upon for the vacant stool. Ikolaba replied that they had not yet decided Pegba suggested Sangolami. Ikolaba demurred and gave reasons why he taught Sangolami should not be made Timi. Ikolaba no doubt spoke frankly for he thought he was addressing Pegba in confidence but Sangolami overheard everything. As soon as Ikolaba finished his explanation, Sangolani came out from where he had been listening and asked Ikolaba wherein he had offended him personally. Quite rightly, Ikolaba felt he had been treacherously played out, and without answering Sangolami's question he turned to Pegba and expressed surprise and disappointment at his treachery.

He then, hurried out and immediately informed all the other kingmakers. The kingmakers had no alternative but to agree on Pegba's choice. They then told Pegba that they had agreed on his choice in the full consciousness that his choice, Sangolami, would oppress them but Pegba must be certain that their own children and successors would visit the ills on Sangolami's children and successors. Thus Abibu Sangolami became Timi after nine years of chieftaincy vacancy. During his reign, Ede showed sonic advancement, especially in the growth of Islam. He did much to propagate it and gave it the firm foundation, it has had in Ede ever since his is how, he did it. Whenever he thought that a subject of his was rich and influential enough he would telll that subject that if the latter could become a muslim, he would be given a princess, Timi's daughter for wife. Thus he used marriage alliances to secure adherents, for the muslim religion. He also used the device of making a rich subject a chief provided he became a muslim. With these two devices, the most impprtant men in Ede became muslims. The second progress registered during this period was that the subject towns which paid obeisance to Ede increased. It was during this time that llorin conquered old Ofa, and the reigning Olofa took refuge in Ede, where he was given a site now called Ofatedo (i.e. the Offa people colonised this place). Timi Abibu Sangolami gave the then Olofa two hundred hoes, two hundred cutlasses, two hundred, baskets, and two hundred of every instrument of household "utensils in order to make his new home easy to settle in. Thirdly, Ede gained a great deal of respect during this period. In fact from the new outburst of the enthusiasm, one would have thought that Ede was just being founded. Fourthly this Timi effectively checked all forms of stealing and burglary. If anyone was caught in the act of stealing, the Timi would.sell him into slavery and would also sell all members of his family. A few men having been made examples, all potential thieves were effectively checked.

It must be mentioned however, that this reign witnessed a great deal of civil war. The first eighteen years of the reign were peaceful but after that civil wars started. Ijesa forces insulted Ede and Ibadan forces, but this Timi did not appear to have taken any notice. Then Kelekun, a chief of his roused him to action, by telling him that he the chief was fed up with the insults if the Timi was that thick-skinned. He wanted to show the Ijesa hosts that his ancestors were brave fighters and he a worthy successor of theirs. Timi was unwilling to be outdone by a subject of his and thus be dubbed a coward. He collected his army and led it himself in person against the Ijesa raiders. The ensuing battle which was called Alagbara war and fought in the presence of all Yoruba forces was short, for the Ijesa forces soon turned tails and fled, thus Timi was victorious. Soon after the Timi returned home from this war, civil- strife the first in the-history of Ede, occurred. For the Timi, flushed with victory became a tyrant. He no longer took the advice of his council, refused to be pacified whenever he was personally offended by a subject and was in the habit of measuring out barbaric punishment like ordering execution without due/trial, ordering a pitcher of water to be tied around a man's neck and the man to be drowned alive in Osun river, or that Yagha marks be made on the checks of an offende. Even the Timi's half brothers were fed up with his barbaric methods and the townspeople became disgruntled. Before they resorted to rebellion, however, the council called the. Timi and told him they were not satisfied with his ways of government. The council expected him to apologise and promise to amend. But instead, he told them they had no power to call his authority into question. They therefore decided to use force and they went about it in the traditional way, of employing the drummers to drum round the town and "sing didatic songs. The following was the song they sang:
In the days of Arohanran, we were wealth)
Each bought at least seven shawls
Please note that
In the reign of Ajeniju,
We were not too badly off,
Each bought at least six shawls
Please note that;
In the reign of Lagunju, we are all famished,
Even foodstuffs are costly and we are underfed
Please note that.
You, Timi a despised Muslim
Are Unwanted in Ede; You have to go beyond Osun River.

Timi Lagunju heard this and knew the signs of the times. He ordered the curfew to be sounded; this kept every woman and small boy indoors, leaving every able bodied man alone in the streets. It was a sure sign of civil war, and the following morning, civil strife started. It was in the scuffle that Oyelude, the eldest son of Folarin, died. When Timi Lagunju had been dethroned and exiled to Ibadan, Oyelude's younger brother called Olunloye, was installed Timi and was supported by Ogunmola, the Bale of Ibadan. When he had been ruling seven years, Lagunju came back to Ede to claim the throne and was supported in his claim by Latosa, the then Bale of Ibadan. Lagunju succeeded in dethroning Olunloye and got himself restored as Timi. Soon after his reascension, the Kiriji war started; To Lagunju, that was godsent, for he sent Olunloye to that war as captain I of Ede host. Olunloye died in the War and Lagunju refused to allow his corpse to be carried into Ede town or be given a decent burial. But after much persuasion and wise counsel he allowed the corpse to be brought in and given a decent burial in his ancestral home. Lagunju never learnt from his-past experiences. No sooner he came back to the throne than he started his tyrannical ways. He would take no counsel from any of his people or councillors." When one of his wives offended him, he ordered that she should be killed in the public view in the market place where Ogun (god of iron) was worshipped. The Council did all they could to dissuade him from this barbaric act but he would not be dissuaded, he saw to it that the woman was executed. This execution led to the second civil strife; for the Council met again and decided that they could no longer put up with a ruler who had no pity even for his own wife. The Timi would not abdicate of his free will so he had to be forced out. Many lives were lost in the process. Lagunju took refuge in Ibadan as he did at first. After this second dethronement, Lansebe became the Timi. But nine months after his installation, Lagunju came back again and was supported by Ibadan forces under Are, the Bale of Ibadan. Again, Lagunju was successful in dethroning Lansebe and made himself the Timi again. This time he was worse than at the former times. As soon as1 he succeeded he employed drummers to give the townspeople an indication of his new programme. What, these drummers said was that Lagunju; would break the whole of Ede as easily as he' would break an earthen pot. The citizens therefore became restive and soon another civil war broke out. The immediate cause of this third strife was that a man called Lanloyin was alleged to have committed a crime. The king decided to punish him by having two hundred marks cut on each cheek. The Council thought the punishment was barbaric and they tried to dissuade him, But he refused to be dissuaded and saw to it that the punishment was carried out as he had ordered. Lanloyin afterwards escaped to Ogbomoso where he later, died of the wounds. Civil war followed directly and. once again Lagunju was exiled to Ibadan. This time he died there and was buried there.

Hearing about this first time. Following....

Very interesting history. In the absence of history in schools it is threads like this that keep history alive.

Empiree:
Hearing about this first time. Following....

The man was dethroned thrice and he returned twice.

Raintaker:
The man was dethroned thrice and he returned twice.

Is he by any chance related to Governor Fayose who defeated two formidable governors twice?

igbodefender:


Is he by any chance related to Governor Fayose who defeated two formidable governors twice?

Lol
They are not related at all